纳撒尼尔·霍桑的《红字》描写女主人公海斯特·白兰冲破没有爱情基础的婚姻的束缚，同年轻牧师狄姆斯台尔秘密相爱，生一女名叫珠儿，从而犯了清教严禁的通奸罪，被判处示众和终生佩戴象征通奸的红色A字。她坚不交代她的同犯，受罚后离群索居，忍辱含垢，以针线活谋生，养活自己和女儿珠儿。狄姆斯台尔牧师怀着隐蔽的罪行，心灵一直得不到安宁，不久他因心力交瘁而病倒。白兰的丈夫改名换姓，乔装成医生，发誓要找出奸夫报仇雪恨。他用旁敲侧击的办法，刺探狄姆斯台尔牧师内心的秘密。白兰眼看牧师承受着莫大的痛苦，被折磨得奄奄一息，便在森林中和他相会，两人相约带着珠儿一同乘船出逃。但她的丈夫料到了这一着，使其计划无法实现。于是，牧师携白兰和珠儿走上示众台，在大庭广众之下承认自己畏避了七年的罪责，随后倒在白兰的怀抱中死去。白兰带着珠儿远走他乡。一年以后，白兰的丈夫死了。若干年后，珠儿长大成人，安家立业，而白兰却一人再回到波士顿，仍带着那个红色的A字，用自己“崇高的道德和助人精神”，把耻辱的红字变成了道德与光荣的象征，直到老死。

Preface To THE SECOND EDITION OF THE SCARLET LETTER

The Custom House INTRODUCTORY TO THE SCARLET LETTER

Chapter 1 The Prison Door

Chapter 2 The Market Place

Chapter 3 The Recognition

Chapter 4 The Interview

Chapter 5 Hester at Her Needle

Chapter 6 Pearl

Chapter 7 The Governor's Hall

Chapter 8 The Elf-Child and the Minister

Chapter 9 The Leech

Chapter 10 The Leech and His Patient

Chapter 11 The Interior of a Heart

Chapter 12 The Minister's Vigil

Chapter 13 Another View of Hester

Chapter 14 Hester and the Physician

Chapter 15 Hester and Pearl

Chapter 16 A Forest Walk

Chapter 17 The Pastor and His Parishioner

Chapter 18 A Flood of Sunshine

Chapter 19 The Child at the Brookside

Chapter 20 The Minister in a Maze

Chapter 21 The New England Holiday

Chapter 22 The Procession

Chapter 23 The Revelation of the Scarlet Letter

Chapter 24 Conclusion